Fire Strike Plans
A minimum of 25 fire engines could be left to provide ‘basic’ and ‘limited’ cover in West Yorkshire, in the event of strike action going ahead.
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| Last Firefighters strike with Army stepping in to cover |
The move comes as nationally 78% of members of the Fire Brigade Union’s members (FBU) voted for industrial action after two years of talks over proposed pension changes collapsed.
The contingency plans include:
- Recruiting ‘community response volunteers’ to provide cover. They will cost £60,000, but they will be on zero-hours contracts and only be paid if utilised.
- Inviting firefighters who retired in the last two years to return to duty after undergoing refresher training.
- The Army, equipped with vintage Green Goddess engines, to be put on standby.
- A fire prevention strategy booklet to be sent to some 8,000 higher risk premises days prior to any strike.
The committee supported an agreed minimum cover based on its own targets and agreed no fewer than 20 pumping appliances could be manned which would provide 60% achievable targets of seven-11 minute response times.
A report discussing the proposals, reads: “Whilst it is acknowledged that the contingency service will be no match for the normal arrangements, it will provide effective prevention and protection services, suitable call receipt and mobilisation arrangements and a basic, if limited, emergency response capability.”
West Yorkshire FBU secretary David Williams, who was present at the committee meeting said: “We still hope talks can take place to avoid strike action, as this is a last resort.
“In the event of strike and the authorities’ contingency measures, obviously 20 appliances across West Yorkshire shouldn’t happen and we still hope it doesn’t.
“However in the event of a major incident, such as at the weekend where 15-16 appliances were called, that would leave the rest of the county wide open.”
Mr Williams said the West Yorkshire FBU is meeting on Friday to be updated on the talks and proposals since the national ballot last week.
He said no dates have been put forward but any action cannot legally take place before September 8.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service currently employs 1,250 operational firefighters to man 54 front line appliances and several specialist appliances.
4th September 2013
Two crews from Dewsbury Fire Station attended G Wilson Fibres Limited in Scout Hill Road at 6.40am.
Watch Mnager Pallister said: “The smoke level was almost down to the ground so visibility was really hard. “The team went in wearing breathing apparatus and discovered it was more smoke than fire. It was still quite a bad fire though. “They cleared the smoke when dealt with the fire.”
Only the machinery, a small amount of stock and a small section of the roof was damaged thanks to a sprinkler system fitted by the company.
I know they’re talking about shutting the Huddersfield Road station, but we’re grateful it’s exists and they were there to help us. They were here in about a minute!”The station in Huddersfield Road is due to be merged with Batley Fire Station as part of cost-cutting plans.
West Yorkshire Fire Service has planning permission for a new joint station in Bradford Road, Dewsbury, although construction work is yet to begin.
Watch Mnager Pallister said: “The smoke level was almost down to the ground so visibility was really hard. “The team went in wearing breathing apparatus and discovered it was more smoke than fire. It was still quite a bad fire though. “They cleared the smoke when dealt with the fire.”
Only the machinery, a small amount of stock and a small section of the roof was damaged thanks to a sprinkler system fitted by the company.
I know they’re talking about shutting the Huddersfield Road station, but we’re grateful it’s exists and they were there to help us. They were here in about a minute!”The station in Huddersfield Road is due to be merged with Batley Fire Station as part of cost-cutting plans.
West Yorkshire Fire Service has planning permission for a new joint station in Bradford Road, Dewsbury, although construction work is yet to begin.
4th September 2013
Fire crews were called at 12.25pm today to a cooker blaze in Smiddles Lane Bradford. The fire, which was in the cellar, damaged internal and external electricity supplies at the property with
Firefighters from Odsal and Bradford stations attending the fire.
4th September 2013
It took crews with Two pumps from Halifax who also used an aerial appliance to put out a chimney fire at a property in Green Hill, Warley at around 2:30pm today
Nobody was injured and fire crews managed to put out the blaze and clear the debris.
4th September 2013
Fire crews were alerted at 3:35pm today to Shay Lane, Wilsden. A fire on the first floor bedroom of the semi detached property was involved in fire. Firefighters used 4 breathing apparatus and a positive pressure ventilation fan. Fire appliances from Bingley and Fairweather Green attended the incident.
4th September 2013
Calls to City Road in Bradford today at around 5:15pm proved to be a car fire outside a garage premise. A fire crew from Bradford station dealt with the incident using a hosereel jet. A thermal image camera was used to check the roof and and building for heat sources. The vehicle was close to a gas pipe which wasn't fractured in the blaze but could have caused an additional hazard.
3rd September 2013
Firefighters tackled a blaze in the garage of a house at Westview Way, Keighley, around 4:00pm this afternoon.
Damage to the garage was slight but smoke filled the attached home, and fire crews used a ventilation fan to help clear the fumes. The three occupants of the house had been alerted by a smoke detector and fled safely. Crews from Keighley and Bingley fire stations were called out to the incident. Firefighters also used two breathing apparatus sets to deal with the blaze.
3rd September 2013
Crews from Illingworth and Halifax were called to Hambleton Drive at around 8pm. The property was unoccupied and it is believed that youths deliberately set fire to some rubbish in the back garden which spread to the house. Damage was caused to the downstairs and upstairs windows.
